


Why Me?

by Paladin-Pile (UserFromPluto)



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, Iverson pov, Keith finds out, Kerberos mission failure, M/M, Sad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-04
Updated: 2018-04-04
Packaged: 2019-04-18 11:07:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 449
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14211825
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UserFromPluto/pseuds/Paladin-Pile
Summary: “We received a transmission from the Athena this morning,” he began, and the boy’s eyes snap to his face. “It was an emergency one.”





	Why Me?

   “Am I in trouble?”

   Iverson looked down at the boy seated outside his office, and shook his head.

   “No, Kogane. Come on in.”

   The boy sat down, movements wary like a cat, and Iverson had to take a moment to collect himself.

_International security...hostile life forms...remain classified at all costs._

   Remaining standing behind the desk, the officer took a deep breath.

   “We received a transmission from the _Athena_ this morning,” he began, and the boy’s eyes snap to his face. “It was an emergency one.”

   Kogane-- _Keith_ sat up straighter, mouth open to speak, but Iverson cut him off.

   “There’s been a crash. Complete failure, no survivors.” The lie burned on his tongue, and he struggled to keep a blank face. A part of him wished the boy would figure it out, paranoid government be damned.

   Keith stared, mouth still open. After a beat of silence and the cadet still hadn’t moved, Iverson looked away and reached into a drawer.

   “Shirogane...left this for you, if anything-” he paused, weighing his words, “...happened.”

   He slid an envelope across the desk. It is thick with paper and made a clanking sound as Keith snatched it off the table and tore it open. He began digging through the contents and suddenly froze, looking away and clenching his jaw. The envelope crumpled in his grip.  

   “The news will be released to the public later today. The memorial-”

   Keith was on his feet. “You’re lying!”

   “I’m not lying!” Iverson shouted, slamming his palms onto the desk. “Shirogane and the Holts are _dead._ ”

   For a second, there was silence. Cadet and Commander locked in a staredown, close enough for Iverson to detect the scent of machine oil that always lingered on the boy. Keith’s eyes were burning, almost pleading,

   It was then that Iverson realized. He hadn’t lost just one of his best pilots to the cold depths of space.

   He had lost two.

   Keith inhaled, eyes wet and jaw trembling, even as he struggles to stay at attention. The commander tried not to let his stern appearance crumble, barely managing a shaky nod.

   “Dismissed, Cadet.”

   A single tear broke free and rolled down Keith’s cheek. Without even bothering to salute he turned and lunged for the door, only to stop suddenly.

   “Out of all the people you could have called here,” he asked, voice breaking. “Why me?”

   Iverson’s gave dropped to his white-knuckled hands, Shiro’s beaming face burning his conscience.

   “You know why.”

   Keith’s grip tightened on the doorknob, and a second later he yanked it open, letting it swing shut with a bang behind him.

   The sound was like a gunshot. Iverson slumped into his chair, head in his hands.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> ayyy this was just an idea I couldn't get out of my head. Come rant Voltron with me on tumblr [Paladin-Pile](https://paladin-pile.tumblr.com/)


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